About a year ago both my sisters insisted I read The Hunger Games. After they explained that it was about a bunch of hungry kids fighting to the death, I said I’d pass.
Then I started hearing all the buzz about the movie coming out, and all of a sudden everyone I knew was reading the series. Not one to usually jump on any type of bandwagon, except maybe when it’s Game 7 of the Stanley Cup and the Canucks are playing, I maintained my stance and refused to give it a read.
Plus, I was worried it would be a repeat of when Twilight rolled into theatres. I got sucked in by all the hype, read the first book, and still to this day regret every hour I wasted reading one of the worst novels ever written. I mean, come on! I believe The Oatmeal explains it best in this cartoon. It’s just sooo bad!
Anyways, back to The Hunger Games. So, it wasn’t my sisters’ nagging or any of the movie hype that got me to finally give in, but actually just a night with nothing to do and the trilogy staring at me from my desk at home. I’ve got to tell you, I was hooked after the first chapter, and ever since then I’ve found myself trying to find excuses to bring it up in conversation or You tubing videos of Jennifer Lawrence just so I can hear her talk about the movie. I am thinking I’m border-lining on super fan status, and what’s scarier is I think I’m okay with that.
Now, sure the writing is compelling, and the characters are well developed, but the reason for me writing about The Hunger Games in this post is because it has a ton of frugal tips sprinkled all over the story. Well, I mean, of course it would have to. Most of the characters are poor and starving, so they’ve got to be good at surviving on barely anything. So, here are a few frugal tips I learned while reading the series, I hope you like them:
Tip #1 – Not all wounds need expensive medical care.
Okay, well actually if it’s a wound and you see bone or blood is spewing out, you should probably head straight to the hospital. However, as we’ve learned from the second book, if you get whipped repeatedly, all you need to recover is some snow. And some morphling. And probably some plastic surgery down the road.
Tip #2 – Eating organic doesn’t have to be a budget buster.
Throughout the Games, Peeta and Katniss had some really healthy and organic meals of nuts and berries, so why not start eating the organic and natural food from the forest too? Just be sure not to eat any poisonous berries, as it may give people the impression you are a rebel starting a war.
Tip #3 – Waste not want not.
Did you just burn some bread you made in the oven? Don’t chuck it out, it’s still good! Or if you don’t want to eat it, then give it to some hungry pigs, or that girl outside your house dying from starvation in the rain. She’ll remember your kindness forever.
Tip #4 – You don’t need a pricey gym membership to lose weight.
It’s called a high-protein diet of wild turkeys and squirrels, and running as if your life depends on it. All the time. For days.
Tip #5 – Remember to reuse whenever possible.
Remember in the third book when that character (I forget who already, clearly, she isn’t super vital to the plot) crumpled up that piece of paper and all those District 13 people looked at her as if she just murdered a baby in front of them? If she had only thought to turn the piece of paper onto it’s back, she would have realized she’s got a whole new side to write on for next time.
Tip #6 – Think function over fashion.
Sure, I’d love to keep on trend more than I do, but why not just wear a grey jumpsuit all the time like the people of District 13. They seem relatively fine with it. Just think, with less articles of clothing in your wardrobe, that’s less laundry to do, leaving you with more spare time to learn how to assemble a gun or go hunting in the woods.
Got any other frugal tips you learned from The Hunger Games?
